Graduation and Commencement Details for December
This commencement ceremony serves students who have completed academic requirements by the August or December graduation cycles. If you have any questions about which ceremony location or date to attend, please contact the Registrar’s Office. Here, you’ll find all the information you’ll need to prepare for your commencement ceremony. Share this link with your family and loved ones who may have questions about where to go and what time the festivities begin.
Did You Apply for Graduation?
If you are planning on graduating in December, you must submit the Graduation Application by the deadline of September 30.
Have You Ordered Your Graduation Regalia?
Any one planning on participating in the December Commencement Ceremony must order your regalia by the deadline of November 3.
Commencement Date & Time
Friday, December 18, 2020
at 1:45 pm
Commencement Speaker: Chuck Bentley, the chief executive officer of Crown Financial Ministries and author
Watch the live broadcast of the ceremony on this date.
Ceremony Location
Good Shepherd Chapel
Lancaster Bible College
901 Eden Rd, Lancaster, PA 17601
Graduation Events
Itinerary for Friday
- 8 am – Alumni Induction/Awards Breakfast (RSVP required)
- 10 – Rehearsal (Required) in the Good Shepherd Chapel after rehearsal – President’s Reception in Olewine Dining Commons (RSVP required)
- 1 pm – All students dressed and ready for line-up in Good Shepherd Chapel
- 1:45 – Commencement Ceremony
Alumni Induction Breakfast and Awards Ceremony
Your day will begin with an Alumni Induction Breakfast and Awards Ceremony in the Olewine Dining Commons. During this time, graduates will receive their honors and certain awards will be given to chosen graduates. Immediately following breakfast, the graduates will go to the chapel for practice. This breakfast is for graduates and their family members. There is no charge for this breakfast but registration is necessary.
President’s Reception
President and Mrs. Teague will host a reception in the Olewine Dining Commons to personally congratulate graduates, parents, and spouses on this milestone occasion. Light refreshments will be served. The event is complimentary but reservations are requested. Click to submit your questions.
Graduation Items for Purchase
Diploma Frames through Bookends Bookstore or by emailing bookstore@lbc.edu.
Graduation Invitations Order Here»
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I receive tickets for commencement?
Graduates will receive their 6 tickets at the mandatory rehearsal on the day of the ceremony. Please email events@lbc.edu with questions regarding tickets. All guests must have a ticket regardless of age, except for infants in carriers that will not occupy a seat. Live streaming is provided on campus for guests without a ticket.
When and where do I pick up my cap and gown?
Your regalia may be picked up at the Solution Center in the Esbenshade Lobby in Lancaster, PA beginning the week before the ceremony. If you are not able to pick it up early, we will have it available for you at the rehearsal. There are usually ironing stations set up to use that day, but the lines to use them are long. Ideally, you can pick up your robe by the night before or sooner.
What time is rehearsal?
Rehearsal is at 10 a.m. and is required. Beyond preparing for the ceremony, this will be a time for announcements and other activities that will make your entire day of celebration go smoothly.
Am I required to attend rehearsal?
Yes. The rehearsal is also a time for announcements and other activities that will make your entire day of celebration go smoothly.
What time is the ceremony?
The ceremony starts at 1:45 pm, but students need to report for line-up at 1 pm.
Where can I find the live video stream link for the ceremony?
The live video stream link for the ceremony is accessible HERE on the day of the ceremony and will be archived on lbc.edu/graduation after the ceremony as well as LBC’s Youtube channel.
What should I wear to the ceremony?
Women should wear a dress or a skirt and blouse, and men should wear a dress shirt and tie. It is a formal occasion, so no sandals or flip-flops.
What is the GPA requirement for honors? When do I receive the honors?
Honors stoles will be given out at the Alumni Breakfast or the rehearsal, as applicable. The GPA range is: 3.50-3.74 for Cum Laude (red stole), 3.75-3.89 for Magna Cum Laude (white stole) or 3.90-4.00 for Summa Cum Laude (gold stole).
Will I keep my cap and gown? What do I need to return?
Only the rented robe needs to be returned after the ceremony. All other items given out during the day are yours to keep. When you pick up your packet of regalia, it should include your robe, your cap, a tassel with the graduation year, and where appropriate, the hood that marks your study area and degree level. Hoods are given for bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees.
Holds prevent me from receiving my actual diploma - How do I take care of a hold?
If you owe a fine at the library, for parking, if you have an academic requirement still to meet, or if you have a financial obligation related to tuition or fees, a hold is placed on your account. Holds prevent your diploma and transcripts from being released. To find out about any holds or to otherwise address them, please contact the Solution Center at 717.560.8254 or by email. The Solution Center is open from 8 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday, 8 am-4 pm on Friday.
When will I get my diploma?
If you have no holds on your account, diplomas will be sent to you electronically on the day of graduation and then a hard copy will be mailed to you within a couple of weeks of the ceremony.
Which ceremony should I attend? Where? When?
The graduation cycles for all locations occur every December, Spring/May, and August.
WHERE – You would attend the ceremony that takes place at the hub for your studies. For example, if you were an Online Accelerated student, your “hub” is Lancaster, PA. If you are a graduate level student who lives in Philadelphia, you would actually attend the Lancaster, PA ceremony because the ceremony in Philadelphia is for undergraduate degrees. If you took all of your studies through the Washington DC location, you would attend the Washington DC ceremony. If you have any questions about which ceremony location or date to attend, please contact the Registrar’s Office.
WHEN – Typically, you would attend the ceremony that coincides with or follows your actual academic completion date, i.e. after your last academic requirements are met. In some cases, if completion is imminent, students may walk in the preceding ceremony and receive their diploma by mail once all is complete. Here is an outline:
- Lancaster – May graduates walk in May. August and December grads walk in December.
- Washington DC – May graduates walk in May. August graduates may walk in preceding or following May ceremony. December graduates would walk in following May ceremony.
- Philadelphia – June graduates walk in June. August graduates may walk in preceding or following May ceremony. December graduates would walk in following June ceremony.
If you have any questions about which ceremony location or date to attend, please contact the Registrar’s Office.